Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World's Most Ancient Pleasures


Book Description

"Meticulously researched history…look[s] at how wine and Western civilization grew up together." —Dave McIntyre, Washington Post Because science and technology have opened new avenues for vintners, our taste in wine has grown ever more diverse. Wine is now the subject of careful chemistry and global demand. Paul Lukacs recounts the journey of wine through history—how wine acquired its social cachet, how vintners discovered the twin importance of place and grape, and how a basic need evolved into a realm of choice.




American Vintage


Book Description

Winner of the James Beard Foundation, International Association of Culinary Professionals, and Clicquot Wine Book of the Year awards How did a country with no winemaking traditions of its own suddenly become a world leader? Paul Lukacs offers a full history, from seventeenth-century experiments to the fall of wine during the dark days of Prohibition through its remarkably rapid upswing in recent decades. The tale is replete with quirky heroes and visionaries who changed the course of wine history: from Nicholas Longsworth, a diminutive, nineteenth-century real estate tycoon and the founding father of American wine, to the Mondavis and Gallos, the powerful first families of American wine in the modern era.




Papyrus


Book Description

A rich exploration of the importance of books and libraries in the ancient world that highlights how humanity’s obsession with the printed word has echoed throughout the ages • “Accessible and entertaining.” —The Wall Street Journal Long before books were mass-produced, scrolls hand copied on reeds pulled from the Nile were the treasures of the ancient world. Emperors and Pharaohs were so determined to possess them that they dispatched emissaries to the edges of earth to bring them back. When Mark Antony wanted to impress Cleopatra, he knew that gold and priceless jewels would mean nothing to her. So, what did her give her? Books for her library—two hundred thousand, in fact. The long and eventful history of the written word shows that books have always been and will always be a precious—and precarious—vehicle for civilization. Papyrus is the story of the book’s journey from oral tradition to scrolls to codices, and how that transition laid the very foundation of Western culture. Award-winning author Irene Vallejo evokes the great mosaic of literature in the ancient world from Greece’s itinerant bards to Rome’s multimillionaire philosophers, from opportunistic forgers to cruel teachers, erudite librarians to defiant women, all the while illuminating how ancient ideas about education, censorship, authority, and identity still resonate today. Crucially, Vallejo also draws connections to our own time, from the library in war-torn Sarajevo to Oxford’s underground labyrinth, underscoring how words have persisted as our most valuable creations. Through nimble interpretations of the classics, playful and moving anecdotes about her own encounters with the written word, and fascinating stories from history, Vallejo weaves a marvelous tapestry of Western culture’s foundations and identifies the humanist values that helped make us who we are today. At its heart a spirited love letter to language itself, Papyrus takes readers on a journey across the centuries to discover how a simple reed grown along the banks of the Nile would give birth to a rich and cherished culture.




Divine Vintage


Book Description

Winner of the Gourmand Wine Books prize for 'Best Drinks Writing Book' in the UK A fascinating journey through ancient wine country that reveals the drinking habits of early Christians, from Abraham to Jesus. Wine connoisseur Joel Butler teamed up with biblical historian Randall Heskett for a remarkable adventure that travels the biblical wine trail in order to understand what kinds of wines people were drinking 2,000 to 3,500 years ago. Along the way, they discover the origins of wine, unpack the myth of Shiraz, and learn the secrets of how wine infiltrated the biblical world. This fascinating narrative is full of astounding facts that any wine lover can take to their next tasting, including the myths of the Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Jewish wine gods, the emergence of kosher wine, as well as the use of wine in sacrifices and other rites. It will also take a close a look at contemporary modern wines made with ancient techniques, and guide the reader to experience the wines Noah (the first wine maker!) Abraham, Moses and Jesus drank.




A History of the World in 6 Glasses


Book Description

New York Times Bestseller * Soon to be a TV series starring Dan Aykroyd “There aren't many books this entertaining that also provide a cogent crash course in ancient, classical and modern history.” -Los Angeles Times Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola: In Tom Standage's deft, innovative account of world history, these six beverages turn out to be much more than just ways to quench thirst. They also represent six eras that span the course of civilization-from the adoption of agriculture, to the birth of cities, to the advent of globalization. A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century through each epoch's signature refreshment. As Standage persuasively argues, each drink is in fact a kind of technology, advancing culture and catalyzing the intricate interplay of different societies. After reading this enlightening book, you may never look at your favorite drink in quite the same way again.




Passion for Pinot


Book Description

A portrait of the most fashionable grape in the wine world, pairing vivid narrative and stunning photography to showcase top Pinot producers in California and Oregon.




The Wine Stalker: Immense Geekery in Wine History & Science, Omnibus 1


Book Description

Every wine geek with a sense of humor should have this collection compiling TheWineStalker.net's first four years of wine history and science articles, from the complete history of an ancient wine in "Adventures of Aglianico" to the starstuff and seashells of the "Soil & Wine" series. Learn all about the chemistry of wine, how bubbly was discovered and established in different parts of the world, what harmful chemical the Austrians were once adding to their wine, and the answer to the most important question of all... what the heck is Bacco 22A? This is an eBook with an immense amount of wine geekery, so be prepared to get nerdy. WARNING: Contains adult language. Because we're all adults here. And if you aren't then you shouldn't be reading this, kid. HISTORY The Adventures of Aglianico - A Complete History of an Ancient Wine Mexico makes wine too, muchacho Madeira should be your Independence Day beverage A Bubbly Biography - The Story of Sparkling Wine - Part 1: France and Spain - Part 2: Italy and the New World - Part 3: Sekt and the Future Wine, Lies and Glycol - The Austrian Antifreeze Scandal Bulgaria - Part 1: Three-thousand Years of Wine History - Part 2: The Current State of Bulgarian Wine - Part 3: Invincibility of Rakia Tales From The Cognac - Short Stories of the Four Great Houses Tarhun Returns - The Resurgence of Turkish Wine Jeroboams & Balthazars - Part 1: Wine Bottles of Typical Proportions - Part 2: Wine Bottles of Biblical Proportions - Part 3: Wine Bottles of Colossal Proportions Heroes of Wine - Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) - André Tchelistcheff (1901-1994) - Bordeauxing Rioja: The Origin Stories of Manuel Quintano & Luciano de Murrieta SCIENCE The Chemistry between us... and wine Barley and Potatoes and Rye, Oh My! - The Starch That Spirits Are Made Of The Magic Potions & Formulas of Wine - Part 1: Mass Appeal & Cover-ups - Part 2: Mega Purple and Enologix What the heck is Baco 22A? Rosacea And The Wine Lover - When Passion Threatens Appearance Soil and Wine - Part 1: Starstuff and Seashells - Part 2: Terroir and Texture - Part 3: Roots Among Rubble MISCELLANEOUS The Sideways Effect: Why Miles is on Team Merlot today Analyzing Wine - Everyone Gets Better The CSW Experience In defense of the CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) The Harsh, Drunken Truth on Wine Trade Tastings Sauvignon Blanc! It's the Ultimate Wine Club Theme The Dueling Montepulcianos: Vino Nobile vs d'Abruzzo




Alpana Pours


Book Description

Alpana Pours is a unique lifestyle book with wine as the centerpiece. Since American women purchase and consume more wine than American men, 77% and 60% respectively, a voice is needed to help women understand that their busy professional and social lifestyles can be well paired with wine. Master Sommelier and successful television host Alpana Singh, twenty-nine, happens to be just the person who can help them do it. Alpana Singh is uniquely qualified to talk about wine, contemporary women and relationships. At age twenty-six she became the youngest woman to be inducted into the world’s most exclusive sommelier organization, the hundred-and-twenty-member Court of Master Sommeliers. She spent five years as sommelier at a world famous four star restaurant, Everest of Chicago. While there she closely observed the sometimes humorous, sometimes absurd, social interactions between men and woman at all stages of their relationships. Her mental journal of these “social observations” came in handy as she wrote her first book, Alpana Pours. Alpana Pours reaches readers in playful language they will understand, and in a highly entertaining manner they will enjoy. Women want to know how to select wine when entertaining important clients, pair wine with food they and their partner are preparing together, choose the right wines for hostess gifts, bridal showers, a first meeting with a boyfriend’s parents and what wine to, or not to, order on a first date. Alpana Pours supplies tips on these and a myriad of other topics including “dating” and “dealing with guys.” The book’s gender riff on wine and lifestyle is unique and will definitely grab reader’s attention.




Founding Gods, Inventing Nations


Book Description

From the dawn of writing in Sumer to the sunset of the Islamic empire, Founding Gods, Inventing Nations traces four thousand years of speculation on the origins of civilization. Investigating a vast range of primary sources, some of which are translated here for the first time, and focusing on the dynamic influence of the Greek, Roman, and Arab conquests of the Near East, William McCants looks at the ways the conquerors and those they conquered reshaped their myths of civilization's origins in response to the social and political consequences of empire. The Greek and Roman conquests brought with them a learned culture that competed with that of native elites. The conquering Arabs, in contrast, had no learned culture, which led to three hundred years of Muslim competition over the cultural orientation of Islam, a contest reflected in the culture myths of that time. What we know today as Islamic culture is the product of this contest, whose protagonists drew heavily on the lore of non-Arab and pagan antiquity. McCants argues that authors in all three periods did not write about civilization's origins solely out of pure antiquarian interest--they also sought to address the social and political tensions of the day. The strategies they employed and the postcolonial dilemmas they confronted provide invaluable context for understanding how authors today use myth and history to locate themselves in the confusing aftermath of empire.




The Geography of Genius


Book Description

Tag along on this New York Times bestselling “witty, entertaining romp” (The New York Times Book Review) as Eric Weiner travels the world, from Athens to Silicon Valley—and back through history, too—to show how creative genius flourishes in specific places at specific times. In this “intellectual odyssey, traveler’s diary, and comic novel all rolled into one” (Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness), acclaimed travel writer Weiner sets out to examine the connection between our surroundings and our most innovative ideas. A “superb travel guide: funny, knowledgeable, and self-deprecating” (The Washington Post), he explores the history of places like Vienna of 1900, Renaissance Florence, ancient Athens, Song Dynasty Hangzhou, and Silicon Valley to show how certain urban settings are conducive to ingenuity. With his trademark insightful humor, this “big-hearted humanist” (The Wall Street Journal) walks the same paths as the geniuses who flourished in these settings to see if the spirit of what inspired figures like Socrates, Michelangelo, and Leonardo remains. In these places, Weiner asks, “What was in the air, and can we bottle it?” “Fun and thought provoking” (The Miami Herald), The Geography of Genius reevaluates the importance of culture in nurturing creativity and “offers a practical map for how we can all become a bit more inventive” (Adam Grant, author of Originals).